Something For The Pain
by jcmoorehead
Summary: When Shinji wakes up in the morning and is suddenly stricken with illness, Asuka volunteers to spend the day looking after him.
**Author's Notes:**

So a week or so ago I wrapped up writing The Catalyst and while I'm still editing that I asked on my Tumblr for prompts for some lighter/fluffier things I could perhaps do. One of my friends gave me this idea and I just had to write it. So hopefully it's enjoyed. It's WAFF/Fluffy so expect that sort of thing. Like I said I wanted to do something lighter to offset some of the heavier drama in The Catalyst and my other works. This takes place shortly after the 12th Angel.

* * *

When Asuka Langley Soryu woke up she was in a bad mood. It was way too early to wake up and for what reason? School. Asuka had a college degree, she didn't need to go to a stupid school and be surrounded by a bunch of idiots who were quite frankly beneath her. With a yawn she sat up and got herself out of the bed. She threw on her school uniform and groggily staggered out into the hallway towards the kitchen.

There would be two things she could always rely on to be consistent in this apartment. One would be that Misato would be in the kitchen drinking her morning beer. Asuka had never known anything like that before. She didn't know how Misato could stomach the stuff that early in the morning, even back in Germany she hadn't known people to drink that early in the morning. The strange thing is it didn't even seem to affect Misato.

The second thing would be that Shinji would be in there standing over the stove. He'd be cooking something for breakfast for all of them. They would all eat it and enjoy it. It was one of the only things that made the mornings tolerable for Asuka. Not that she'd ever let him know that of course.

With these things in mind Asuka picked herself up and strode into the kitchen. She looked towards the table and sure enough there was Misato sitting there. Beer in hand and newspaper in the other.

 _'Hah, with the newspaper she's in danger of looking somewhat professional'_

She looked over to the stove expecting the smell of a cooked breakfast to fill her nostrils. Her stomach rumbled at the thought of the treat that would be in store for it. Yet she was surprised to see that Shinji was not stood there this morning. Nor in fact had any plates been set out. She blinked and looked again to ensure she hadn't missed something. Misato was there, beer in hand, newspaper in the other. In front of her was a bowl with the remnants of cornflakes and milk in it.

 _'She ate that and drank beer at the same time? Gross.'_

Over by the stove was a gap, an empty space where a meek fourteen year old boy is usually… no should be stood. He should be there and he should be preparing her breakfast.

"Are you just going to stand there all morning Asuka?"

"Huh? Oh…"

Asuka stepped into the kitchen and looked around, she wasn't quite sure what she was looking for. It wasn't like he was going to suddenly spring out of the fridge and surprise her. Shinji wasn't a surprising person, much to Asuka's dismay. He was dull and predictable. He was quiet and shy and just went along with what anyone said.

Which was probably why she found it so strange for him to not be stood at the stove like he was every day. Her stomach rumbled again.

"Where's the idiot this morning?"

Misato lowered the paper, "Ah so that's why you were gazing so lovingly at the stove?"

"No! I was just wondering why he isn't there and preparing my…"

Asuka paused for a moment after being shot a curious glance from Misato. Misato had spoken to Asuka a few times about how she treated Shinji. Asuka had always laughed it off, it was what he deserved for being such a doormat. Besides Misato could hardly talk. Shinji had been cooking breakfast long before Asuka arrived, and all the other household chores too. That had nothing to do with Asuka's influence. That was all Misato's doing. Asuka wasn't going to disturb the natural order of things.

"Our breakfast. Did he leave early or something?"

"Actually the opposite, he hasn't come out of his room yet."

Asuka raised her eyebrows in surprise. That was very unlike Shinji. It didn't matter though, she was awake now and he should be too. She was hungry and needed food before they left.

"What? Really? Shinji sleeping in on a school day? Why haven't you woken him up yet! You're his guardian, aren't you supposed to make sure he goes to school."

Wish a casual shrug Misato finished her beer before throwing it into the open bin.

"Maybe, but I guess things have been hard on you guys lately I'd allow him to sleep in just this once."

"Like hell, I need breakfast."

"But there's cerea-"

Misato was barely able to finish her sentence before Asuka had stood up and was making her way to Shinji's room. Misato be damned she was going to make sure Shinji was awake, made them breakfast and wasn't late for school. Unlike her, he actually needed to go. She might find him boring and bland and annoying but he was also a friend. No, not a friend, an acquaintance and a fellow pilot and she couldn't let him drag her down. If he performed badly then that reflected poorly on her too. She impatiently knocked on the thin door and shouted through.

"Idiot, it's time to wake up. I need breakfast and I'm not going to be late for school on account of you."

She listened for any noise but heard nothing. She wondered what Shinji could be doing in there. Her first thought was something perverted. She knew all about what teenagers got up to in their rooms and she expected Shinji to be no different. She knocked again and listened for any response.

"Shinji, don't make me come in there."

No response again. For a moment a thought crossed her mind. What if Shinji wasn't actually in there? She had read through his files once before. She shouldn't have done but Misato had foolishly left her computer unlocked and Asuka was curious. She knew that he had ran away once after the battle with the fourth Angel. What if he had finally had enough of how Misato treated him here and ran away?

Without giving a warning she thrust open the door and looked around the room. It was exactly as she expected it to be. It was dull and bland. There was nothing to indicate it had really been lived in aside from the lump on the bed that she presumed to be Shinji. His clothes were folded neatly on a chair. There was little in the way of any posters or decoration.

 _'God is this really it… come on Shinji do you not like… anything?'_

In the corner of the room she spied Shinji's Cello. That was the only thing in the room that'd make her think it belonged to him. She remembered hearing him playing the Cello once when she had come in from a failed date. It was an awkward night, one she wished she could put out of her mind.

Forgetting about that she walked around to the side of the bed and placed a hand on Shinji's shoulder.

"SHINJI!"

She watched as his eyes slowly opened. Upon seeing her they opened wider and he snapped himself to attention.

"A-A-Asuka! What… are you doi"

"Idiot! What does it I'm doing? I'm waking you up so you can make me my breakfast!"

Without giving him a chance to respond Asuka stormed out of the room closing the door behind her.

 _'If you want something doing you have to do it yourself…'_

On returning to the kitchen Asuka observed that Misato was no longer sat at the table. She had undergone her morning transformation of suddenly looking more presentable and like an actual human being.

"See Misato, all sorted now! You go too easy on him…"

Misato was ready to reply to the abrasive young redhead but her attention was suddenly drawn to the pale boy who was standing in the kitchen doorway. Asuka's attention was drawn to him as well. He was in his school uniform now but something was off. Asuka picked up on it when she was in his room. On touching his shoulder it had been remarkably warm. His voice too, she couldn't place it but it didn't sound right.

"H-Hey…"

Asuka looked him up and down. He looked horrible, his face was remarkably pale. Shinji always looked pale but this was different.

"Shinji?"

Shinji stepped forward towards the stove. As he took his first step Asuka suddenly felt her reactions kick in. She wasn't sure why but she felt herself rise up from her seat and dash over to Shinji just in time to grab him before he collapsed to the floor and hurt himself. As her arms wrapped around Shinji she could feel the heat coming off of his body. Her eyes darted back to Misato.

"Shinji… Shinji?"

There was no answer from the boy as Asuka felt his entire body weight in her arms. He was slightly heavier than she expected.

"M-Misato… w…what's wrong with him?"

In an instant Misato was over by Asuka's side. Asuka watched helplessly as Misato picked him up in her arms and carried him out of the room. It was then that Asuka realized she was actually shaking. Shinji had collapsed in front of her, collapse in her arms and she could do nothing but freeze up and hold him in place. Hold him whilst waiting for Misato to do something. Waiting for her to come over and take charge. All Asuka could do was stutter and look terrified.

"S… Shinji?"

* * *

Asuka wasn't sure how long Misato had been in there for but it felt like forever. All Asuka had been doing in the time was watching PenPen waddle around the front room, pacing back and forth like an expectant father in an old cartoon. Was PenPen worried about Shinji? Do penguins worry about things?

Asuka on the other hand had taken up position on the edge of the sofa closest to Shinji's room. She could hear Misato mumbling something to someone on the phone every now and then but couldn't make out any words.

A glance at the clock told Asuka that she was late for school. She should have set off by now but something had stopped her. The shaking hadn't stopped since she had seen Shinji collapse. She was sat with her knees brought up to her chest. She was continuously telling herself she wasn't worried about him. He would be fine, the idiot was always fine and Asuka definitely wasn't worried about him. In fact she was worried about herself, whatever the idiot had would probably be passed onto her and she couldn't afford to be ill. She definitely wasn't scared though, the shaking had just been because of the strain on her muscles because of how heavy he was. The reason she hadn't left yet was because she was waiting to see if Misato needed anything. It definitely wasn't because she was worried about Shinji.

She turned and saw PenPen looking at her. His head cocked to the side ever so slightly as if he knew what she was thinking and was questioning it.

"What are you looking at? I'm not worried about him."

Her eyes darted back to the door for his room and to PenPen again who had not moved from the spot.

"What? I'm not! I'm just… I'm cold and… Oh my god I'm talking to a penguin. Why does Misato even have you? Where did you come from? You're a penguin!"

PenPen's expression changed, as much as a penguins could and he looked almost offended by her comment. He turned and walked off to his little room in the fridge. Asuka shrugged and resumed her staring at Shinji's door. She certainly wasn't worried about him.

"Idiot, collapsing on me like that… I told him he needs to… he shouldn't be such a… Urgh what is taking Misato so long?"

Asuka wouldn't have to wait too much longer to get her answer as just at that moment Misato quietly walked out of Shinji's room. Almost immediately Asuka tilted forward leaning on the arm of the sofa.

"Well?"

"He's fine, just resting. Ritsuko wanted me to bring him into NERV for observation."

"NERV? Why?"

Breathing out a sigh she replied, "She thought it could be some sort of contamination from the Angel."

"You mean he could have been infected by it?"

"No I don't mean that! And he hasn't! I rang her up for medical advice not to turn him into a specimen and take him down to NERV!"

Misato's shouting took Asuka off guard, "Oh…"

"She said failing contamination it's probably just a bad cold mixed in with exhaustion. We have been pushing you guys hard lately. Maybe we shouldn't have rushed him back so soon."

"Hah, so he couldn't handle it. Exactly what I've been saying all along!"

"ASUKA!"

Asuka jumped at the yell. She had said the wrong thing and she knew it. Anger shot through Misato's eyes as she fixed her gaze on the young redhead. She knew it was the wrong thing to say yet she couldn't stop herself. She couldn't even answer why she had said it. It had just slipped out.

"Sorry… So he'll be alright?"

"Yes, he just needs to rest… I just…"

She paused for a moment, "Maybe I shouldn't go to work today."

"Why? I thought you said he needed rest."

"Well yes, but he could probably do with someone here to look after him. In case anything happens."

"I'll do it!"

Almost immediately Asuka realized what she had said. It was just like before, the words had fallen out of her mouth.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea…"

"No, it is! I can do it, besides I have a college degree so I don't really need to go to school and you need to go to work right? I'll do it, how hard can it be?"

Nervously Misato looked towards Shinji's door and then back to Asuka. She wasn't sure why Asuka was suddenly so insistent on staying to look after Shinji. A part of her would have probably teased her about it if she hadn't been so concerned for the boy. She did wonder if it'd be a good idea but Asuka was right. School was mostly a formality for her, her grades weren't perfect but that was a language issue and Misato really needed to go into NERV today.

"Are you sure?"

With a smile Asuka nodded, "Of course I'm sure. It can't be that hard to look after the idiot right? Make sure he stays in bed all day, bring him soup when he needs it and keep him warm right?"

"W-Well… I suppose?"

"See! Easy for someone like me."

* * *

The morning had indeed been just as easy as Asuka had expected it to be. Shinji had slept throughout most of it. Every now and then she would poke her head into his room and see him asleep in his bed. A part of her thought he looked cute. That was pushed out of her mind immediately. Shinji wasn't cute, he was Shinji. He was weak and dull and everything she wouldn't want. He wasn't a real man.

Yet despite this she couldn't help but think he was cute when she poked her head in the door. The part of her that thought it was loud in her head. It was the same part that was still hurting from their failed attempt at kissing that one night. The same part that made her nearly cry herself to sleep. The same part that had been terrified and worried about him when he had collapsed.

She was trying to silence that part right now as she stood in the kitchen trying to prepare lunch for the two of them. Chicken Soup was what Doctor Asuka had ordered today. She had been down to the little store near to the apartment and got the ingredients she needed. As she stood over the stove she realize she might have made a mistake. Her intention had been to make enough soup for her and Shinji.

Asuka had never made soup before, she had never really cooked before. Her first thought was how hard could it be? Of course for someone like her it couldn't be that hard at all. As she looked at the pot she realized she had made one fatal mistake. There was enough here for eight people. Asuka and Shinji weren't going to be able to get through this! She could feed the entirety of her class at school with this quantity.

"Oh well, better to have too much than too little!"

As she stirred the pot she became aware of a presence behind her. She turned slowly letting the spoon she was using to stir the pot drip onto the floor. Shinji was stood in the doorway, still pale and clearly shivering.

"A-Asuka…"

Asuka extended the spoon outwards towards Shinji and fixed a cold stare at him. He looked terrible and almost immediately Asuka was filled with a fear that he might collapse again.

"What are you doing up! You should be in bed!"

"I… I heard noise from in the kitchen… I thought you might need some help…"

"Do I look like I need help? Of course I don't need help! Making soup isn't beneath me you know!"

"S-Sorry I didn't mean…"

"Whatever! It's nearly ready anyway. Go to the couch, lie down I'll be in there in a minute."

"Okay…"

He slowly shuffled out of the room as Asuka turned back to the pot. She sniffed at the soup, everything smelled just fine and everything looked fine. All she had to do now was turn it off and serve it. First of all she would have to deal with the idiot.

She made her way into the front room. Shinji was lying on the couch his eyes met her for a moment. There was an apologetic look across his face as she crossed into his bedroom. She ignored any potential apology that'd come from him. That'd be just like Shinji to apologize for being ill. He apologized for everything else.

 _'Idiot thinks I can't do this, I bet Misato thinks that too! I'll show them bo- what the hell these bedsheets are soaking!'_

Asuka picked up the sheets from Shinji's bed. She couldn't bring these into the front room and put them over him. They were covered in sweat from his fever. There was only one thing for it, she'd have to clean them and find a substitute somewhere. The only problem was, that she didn't actually know where the clean sheets were kept in the flat.

 _'Only one thing for it I guess…'_

She dumped the sheets onto the ground and exited the room into her own room and scooped up the sheets in her arm. These would probably need washing by the end of the day as well but that didn't matter. She always found it warm in the apartment anyway so generally slept without them anyway.

She entered the front room again. Shinji was awake, his head propped up on the arm of the coach and watching something on TV. He was still shivering so she quickly threw the covers over him.

"How are you feeling?"

He gave her a weak smile, "Dizzy, and I keep on going from being too hot to being too cold and… I'm sorry for inconveniencing you Asuka."

"Idiot. Do you think you can manage some soup?"

Shinji nodded, "Yeah… I think so."

"Good because I… made a lot."

Shinji watched Asuka curiously as she went out into the kitchen. He could hear her getting bowls down. He could smell the chicken soup from here, it smelled good and his stomach rumbled in anticipation of it. She entered the room and placed two full bowls down on the coffee table. She disappeared back into the kitchen and re-emerged moments later, a French loaf in one hand and two spoons in the other.

It was a somewhat bizarre image for Shinji to comprehend and he wondered if for a moment the fever he was undergoing was causing him to hallucinate. The next thing he knew he was giggling. Asuka glared at him, clutching the bread in one hand and pointing it towards him.

"What the hell's so funny?"

"No-Nothing… just I… you're holding that bread and… it's funny."

Asuka looked down at the bread and back to Shinji, "Why?"

"I don't know just… you're holding it like a weapon or something. It's just…"

"If you're not careful I'll use it like a weapon in a moment."

He was still laughing as she crossed back to the couch. She placed the bread down on the coffee table and sat down cross legged close to him.

"Sit up a bit."

"Wha- Why?"

"Just do it."

He complied with her request and she grabbed one of the bowls and held it up close to him. Taking a spoon with the other hand she dipped it into the bowl and took a bit of the soup out onto the spoon.

"Asuka wha-"

"If you tell anyone about this… I'll hurt you… do you understand?"

"Y-Yes? But what are yo-"

"Stop talking, and open your mouth a bit."

"Why?"

"Just do it!"

Shinji promptly shut up and did what she asked. He watched as she took a small bit of soup onto the spoon and brought it towards his mouth. Gently she put the spoon into his mouth and he closed his lips around it. It was a little bit hot but he swallowed it just as she brought the spoon out of his mouth. She brought it back and looked at him expectantly.

"Well?"

"It's… really good. You're good Asuka…"

"Did you expect anything else? Now open up again."

Shinji opened his mouth and Asuka gently fed him another spoonful of the soup. She wasn't sure why she had taken to feeding him like this. He wasn't incapable of eating himself but it just seemed like the right thing to do. If she was going to look after him she was going to do it properly. She was however becoming aware of her own hunger and bowl behind her.

"A-Asuka... yours is going to go cold..."

"I know that! Do you think I'm stupid or something?"

He handed the bowl to Shinji and reached behind her for the bread breaking a piece off she dipped it into Shinji's bowl and pushed it towards him, "Here have this."

He opened his mouth just in time for Asuka to push the bread into it. He did wonder if she had any intention of stopping if he hadn't have opened his mouth. Having soup covering his face wasn't something he had planned on today, then again nor was being ill and having Asuka look after him. He was starting to wonder if this was some weird dream brought on by the illness.

"Asuka... thank you..."

"For what?"

"For this... y-you didn't have to do it."

"Yes I did. Misato asked me to, she had to go to work and asked me to stay for you."

Asuka immediately followed up the lie with a spoonful of her own soup. She felt it burn her tongue as if it was some response to the lie. She wasn't sure why she had lied about it, she had been the one who had volunteered to stay behind. She had wanted to look after him. She didn't know why she couldn't just accept the gratitude or even admit she had been worried about him.

"Still... t-thank you."

"Whatever."

* * *

Shinji was sleeping again rolled onto his side facing the back of the couch. Asuka could hear him breathing softly, every now and then a little snore would be heard but he was mostly silent. For some reason this was distracting her while she tried to sit and do some homework. She couldn't help her eyes floating off in his direction every now and then. With every question she answered or at least tried to were it not for the Kanji still confusing her she found herself looking at him for longer and longer periods of time.

Finally after the sixth time of this she rose from her seat and wandered back over to the couch. She knelt down beside him and curiously put the palm of her hand to his forehead. Resting it gently against the forehead she could feel the heat coming off of him. It wasn't as bad as it had been earlier but it still wasn't normal.

 _'He's doing better of course... Well why wouldn't he? He has me looking after him.'_

She studied his face and went back to her thoughts earlier this morning. He did look cute while he slept. She would try to force the thought from her mind but it kept on looping around. For moments she just sat looking at the boy and allowed herself to keep thinking that. He was just like her in so many ways. She knew that fact, she had seen his file. The loss of his mother, his father abandoning him. Him being alone in this world. At nights she had dwelled on those thoughts. She kept her hand there as his eyes suddenly flickered open. She quickly pulled her hand away as he stirred.

"Asuka?"

"W-What?"

"I... what's happening?"

"I-I-I..."

Asuka stuttered scrambling for an excuse yet none would come. She couldn't explain why she was doing what she did and she couldn't just say 'curiosity.'

"Nothing! I was just checking your temperature! You're doing better."

He smiled weakly, "T-That's good."

Slowly he sat up prompting Asuka to push him back down.

"Stay down."

"I can't! I err..."

"You can't? I'll do it for you, what do you need?"

He looked around awkwardly, "I need to use the bathroom."

"Oh."

"Y-Yeah..."

"Well... I can't..."

"I know..."

"Well go on then! But be quick!"

He slowly rose to his feet staggering slightly, she stood up with him helping him up and steadying him. While she waited she quickly felt the sheets and pillow. They weren't covered in sweat like his own, at least that had stopped.

She sat there anxiously waiting him to return. She could feel the shaking in her hands return and thoughts began to go through her mind. What if Shinji collapsed again while he was in there? What if he got hurt again and he couldn't tell her.

 _'I should have accompanied the idiot, he's so clumsy he could have hurt himself...'_

"Asuka?"

She jumped at the sound of the voice. Shinji had returned and was stood beside her.

"Shinji, you're alright! I mean... "

She cursed herself for letting her guard down and finding those thoughts. Of course he was alright.

"I mean! Get back in bed immediately, go on! Rest!"

She backed away as he slowly got back under the covers.

"I-I'm sorry for being a burden on you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Just... I know you'd probably rather be doing a million other things than looking after me."

Maybe it was true, in reality she would rather not be looking after an ill Shinji but at the same time she would rather it be her than anyone else in the world.

"True but it's not like it's difficult. Besides I'm the only one who could do it, no one else would be as good at it as I would."

"I-I... that's true. I really like you Asuka."

With those words he closed his eyes and went back to sleep. Asuka was left wide eyed with her mouth wide open.

"You... really like me?"

* * *

Asuka had not been able to go back to doing any homework for the past hour, nor had she been able to concentrate on watching the television. Not since he had said those words. It had to have been the fever talking, it had to have been the illness. Shinji wouldn't just blurt something like that out. She wanted to wake him up, ask him exactly what he meant by it but she couldn't. Instead she found herself kneeling over him again, watching him as he slept.

She was thinking about what she thought when she had first met him. She remembered that meeting very well mostly for the wrong reason. One badly timed gust of wind had exposed parts of her she hadn't meant for others to be seen. She had of course slapped all three of them for it. Shinji of course had turned his head immediately, she shouldn't have slapped him but to her it had just been convenient he had turned away. So she had slapped him too.

She had thought he was boring. He didn't say much and he looked weak. He was not what she had imagined the pilot of Unit 01 to be. The boy who had defeated three Angels so far. Yet she felt herself drawn to him. A curiosity was what she thought it was. She had a desire to have him nearby, so she could show off what a real pilot was supposed to be. She gave him the best view possible when she fought the Angel on that carrier.

They had fought together numerous times since then. She had learned a lot about Shinji. Outside the Eva he quiet and shy but in the Eva he surprised her. He was brave, even saving her life on one occasion. She respected that.

Then she had tried to kiss him. Looking back even she knew it was stupid. What did she expect to happen? She had taunted him using his own mother and she had blocked his nose. He had of course shoved her away and she ran. She had never been humiliated and yet she knew it was all her own stupid fault.

After that he had nearly died, pulled into an Angel and she was powerless. She couldn't save him the way he had saved her. It made her sick when she realized how weak she really was. She was actually scared on that day. Much like she was this morning when she saw him collapse.

Maybe that was what this whole day was, it was her proving she could save him like he saved her. Maybe it was a way of making up for her actions when they kissed but without actually apologizing. Maybe it was a way of showing she wasn't as powerless as she thought she was.

Before Asuka knew it she was lying on the couch too, her arm gently stroking Shinji's side, her head propped up on the arm. She found her way under the covers making sure to not disturb him and spoke softly into his ear.

"Hey idiot, don't get the wrong idea about this but… I guess I kinda like you too. Feel better soon."

She closed her eyes and let herself fall asleep next to him. For one of the first times since arriving in Japan there were no nightmares for her.


End file.
